Causes

The causes of a wet, leaking basement can be as varied as the damage it creates.

• * High Water Table: Rain, melting snow or underground springs will contribute to the water table rising around a home. This can result in a build-up of water pressure beneath the floor and against foundation walls.
• * Hydrostatic Pressure: The higher the level of water around a home, the greater the pressure on the water to seek entry into the basement through cracks and crevices in walls and floors. Initially, this water may enter and rest only in the block or in the pores of the concrete. That's where damp walls and damp floors come from.
• * Capillary Attraction: Whenever water contacts a porous surface like a concrete floor or wall, it's natural for the moisture to be soaked up like a sponge. The continuous pressure exerted from the outside causes the floors and walls to store water like a reservoir, ready to burst.
• * Settlement: As the ground around a home settles, the foundation can shift or crack. The parging shield protecting the foundation can also crack and open, allowing water to flow into and beneath your walls and floor.